The best gender-neutral restroom signs we've seen

Restaurants, hotels and other establishments are getting into the swing of offering gender-neutral restrooms at their establishments. There are more than 4,500 all-gender restrooms in the United States, according to Refuge Restrooms, a website that compiles and lists every public all-gender restroom in the country.

That number is likely to increase here since the city passed the Gender Equality Amendment in June, removing a provision in the Chicago Human Rights Ordinance that required patrons to show a government-issued ID upon request and only be allowed to use the restroom that corresponds to the gender identity listed on their ID.

While establishments in Chicago are not required to have gender-neutral bathrooms, more are starting to, and some are using creative signage to address the issue with humor.

Here are some of the cheekiest signs we've seen.

Goddess and the Baker, 225 N. Lasalle St.

The sign was a collaborative effort between Goddess graphic artist Design Scout and the two owners of the chain. It's at all the Goddess and Baker locations. “We just always try and be forward-thinking and have fun; that is how it came about," says co-owner Tamar Mizrahi. "We started the new signs in around May just as a reaction to all the talk these days about unisex bathrooms.”

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Virgin Hotels Chicago

Virgin Hotels Chicago, 203 N. Wabash Ave.

“In true Virgin fashion, the cheekiness of the blokes and birds is a representative of the brand's British roots,” a hotel spokesperson said.

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A sign that will appear in TPAN's new office. It's by artist Peregrine Honig.

TPAN's (Test Positive Aware Network), 5533 N. Broadway.

TPAN will use this sign, created by San Francisco-based artist Peregrine Honig, in its new office, which opens in January.

“Peregrine's sign is unique and cheeky; that's precisely why it feels right for our organization," says Gary Nelson, events and communications manager. "It may be a radical view to some, but equal acceptance of all genders is fundamental to our agency. What better way to welcome someone than with humor? It signals what we believe, that we won't ask intrusive questions, and that we're countering the discrimination too many have experienced. That's a lot for one sign to convey, but Peregrine's work fits it all in.”

Aids Foundation of Chicago, 200 W. Jackson St.

"AFC put up gender neutral bathroom signage four years ago as a reflection of our culture's belief that everyone is welcome to use the bathroom that is most comfortable for them," says Tom Menard, vice president of operations. "The sign we use was developed by a group in Chicago promoting safe bathroom access and was less labelling than the many other options available. Other signs typically include stick figures, but leave out that not everyone identifies as either male or female."

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Hamburger Mary's restroom sign.

Have you seen gender-neutral signs in Chicago? Share your images with Crain's Chicago Business by tweeting and tagging @CrainsChicago. Refuge Restrooms compiles and lists every public all-gender bathroom in the country, including a search field that finds the bathroom nearest you. You can help add to the list by reporting and ranking any gender-neutral bathrooms in your area.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to state the correct name of the Goddess graphic artist.